News

Program to help organize and drive growth of off-grid renewable energy and appliance market

The Global Lighting and Energy Access Partnership (Global LEAP) is partnering with ClimateWorks and CLASP to launch an innovative program that will support efforts to extend renewable energy to millions of people throughout the developing world who currently live without access to electricity. The program will create an easily accessible online clearinghouse of off-grid appliances to increase market knowledge and foster a more competitive global off-grid appliance market.

The Super-efficient Equipment and Appliance Deployment (SEAD) initiative honored the winners of its Global Efficiency Medal competition for super-efficient household LED light bulbs at an awards ceremony at the United Nations Environment Programme in Paris, France. Winning products in the international competition were more than 80% more efficient than comparable incandescent light bulbs.

From 13 to 16 April, France hosted the third session of the Global Sustainable Cities Network. The four-day programme included a combination of site visits, moderated workshop discussions and formal conferences that took place in Nantes, Paris and Montpelier, France. The session provided a unique opportunity for multilateral exchange and to develop partnerships of city level actors in the Global Sustainable City Network.

A new guide published by the Multilateral Working Wind and Solar Working Group provides key recommendations to guide policy makers in designing effective renewable energy auctions. Developed in partnership with the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), Renewable Energy Auctions: A Guide to Design offers choices and recommendations to support optimal decision-making in different contexts.

The new Clean Energy Grid Integration Network (CEGIN) for policy makers will help governments around the world strengthen policies and programs to enable high levels of renewable energy generation for electricity systems along with related demand response, smart grid and storage solutions.

Energy Ministers Announce “CEM 2.0,” New Global Initiatives, the United States as the Next CEM Host, and China Intends to Host CEM8 Host

At the sixth Clean Energy Ministerial (CEM6), Mexico Secretary of Energy Pedro Joaquín Coldwell, U.S. Secretary of Energy Ernest Moniz, China Minister of Science and Technology Wan Gang and other world energy leaders announced ambitious actions to accelerate the global transition to clean energy. Ministers agreed to launch an enhanced, second phase of work under CEM, referred to as “CEM 2.0.” Ministers also launched three critical efforts to drive action in the clean energy space: a CEM Global Lighting Challenge, CEM Power System Challenge, and expanded Clean Energy Solutions Center with Finance Portal.
To conclude CEM6, President Barack Obama announced in a video message that the United States will host CEM7 in 2016, which was followed by the announcement by China's Minister Wan Gang that China intends to host CEM8 in 2017.

At the sixth Clean Energy Ministerial (CEM6), the International Smart Grid Action Network (ISGAN) and the Global Smart Grid Federation (GSGF) announced the winners of the second-annual ISGAN Award of Excellence and the first-ever GSGF Best Smartgrid Project Award. The winning projects receiving these prestigious awards serve as global exemplars of the value that smarter, cleaner electric grids can offer.

The Clean Energy Ministerial and the World Bank’s Energy Sector Management Assistance Program will work together to deliver targeted technical assistance to help developing and middle-income countries integrate large shares of wind and solar energy into their electricity grids. Together, the initiatives will deliver the most advanced knowledge—from technical integration of variable renewable energy (VRE) and smart grids to harmonized policy and regulatory frameworks—that will draw from the experiences of vanguard countries already managing high percentages of wind and solar penetration.

Awards and Incentives Program Will Make High-Quality Appliances More Accessible to Under-served Consumers

The Global Lighting and Energy Access Partnership (Global LEAP) initiative and partners are launching an innovative energy access program. The market acceleration program will provide results-based financing incentives to support bulk purchases of off-grid appliances that have won or been named a finalist in Global LEAP Awards competitions.